Romana

This class consists of two parts, one on the availability of numeraries and the other, related to this, on celibacy. The ideas discussed here will be useful both for your own personal reflection, as well as for the work of formation with your brothers. Each of us should consider how we live them, how we apply them, and how they assist us in helping others.

Regarding availability, first we can recall some words of our Father: “All with a divine vocation, the numeraries must give themselves directly and immediately to Our Lord as a holocaust, giving everything they have, their whole heart, their activities, without any restrictions, their possessions, their reputation.”^[1]

Let us consider the first of these: “their whole heart.” Availability of one’s heart does not mean having a heart open so that anything can enter, but rather so that all the people who are entrusted to our care, may fit there. Giving one’s whole heart implies avoiding distinctions and separations, in order to love everyone equally and the apostolates of the Work as an expression of our love for God, giving to Our Lord all that we are and have.

Availability of one’s heart is shown in the effective, real, concrete availability of our time. Being available for the tasks entrusted to us. This is not simply a material availability, but above all an availability of the heart, which consists in putting our will and affections into this activity, also when we find it hard, being ready to make all the necessary changes.

Usually in the Work, each one carries out their professional work in their own environment, sanctifying temporal realities. But, as Don Javier reminded us in a letter, sometimes “there is no choice but for some of my daughters and sons to cut back on their professional activity – or even leave it aside completely, at least for some time – in order to dedicate themselves to helping their brothers or sisters in their spiritual life and directing the apostolic work.”^[2] We should add here, as Don Javier himself so often said, that the work of directing the apostolic undertakings, and the work of spiritual direction itself (which is the main task entrusted to the people who form part of the local councils) are also tasks that can be called professional in terms of their seriousness and the need for preparation.

On the other hand, availability is not only a passive attitude, a “willingness to do what I am told”: to change one’s centre, apostolic assignment, city, country, continent… because for now we cannot change planets. Certainly, it is also this, but that is not enough. We need initiative and real interest, to put our hearts and talents at the service of the Work; that is, to make available what we have and what we are in order to live out our vocation. In fact, part of availability consists in thinking about how to make improvements, what to suggest – which shows that we feel that Opus Dei truly belongs to each one of us.

No other strings than love

The heart, in the biblical sense, refers not only to one’s feelings, but to the whole person, and especially to each one’s will, that is, to our freedom. A fundamental aspect of our availability is that it should be lived out as freedom, not as a lack of freedom. One can say: “I am here, for whatever I am told.” And then, upon receiving a new assignment, one can experience it as a limitation of one’s freedom. When, in reality, the greatest freedom consists in having no other ties than love.

This is applicable to all of us who are in the Work, but especially, in a more complete and material way, to the numeraries: not to have any ties, neither of work, nor of centre, nor of country. Not to feel tied to anything. And this not feeling tied to anything is freedom, spiritual freedom, freedom of soul.

Naturally, this doesn’t mean living without any roots, being people who live floating in the air. Not being tied to anything is compatible with being deeply rooted in what we do, with our feet on the ground and in our work, making our own the assignments and occupations we have, and putting all our human capacities into what we do, with professional enthusiasm, as if this were always definitive. Because freedom does not consist in an absence of external limitations, but in not being tied to anything but the love of God and, consequently, to the love of others, of the Work, of souls.

It is possible that at times (because we all have weaknesses until we die) we may perceive certain demands, changes, tasks, etc., as a lack of freedom. This will be a new opportunity to deepen our love, so that our soul is strengthened in freedom.

Our Father spoke of a group of people nailed to the cross: “Our Lord doesn’t want an ephemeral personality for his Work. He asks us for an immortal personality, because He wants that in it – in the Work – there be a group nailed to the Cross. The Holy Cross will make us enduring, always with the same spirit of the Gospel, which will bring the apostolate of action as the savoury fruit of prayer and sacrifice.”^[3] He doesn’t say here who this group nailed to the Cross is, but, from the context, it is understood that it is the numeraries. In reality, we all have to be nailed to the Cross, in one way or another. But, in this case, our Father speaks of a specific, special way of being nailed to the Cross: that of the numeraries, who must always be available to change their work, their situation..., which are opportunities to unite oneself to the Cross. And when we freely unite what we find hard to Our Lord’s Cross, it ceases to weigh on us, even though it continues to weigh on us – an apparent contradiction.

We have so often seen in our Father’s life how he was able, by God’s grace, to suffer a lot and, at the same time, to be very happy. And we too have the possibility of finding in our self-giving, also when it costs us, a source of joy.

When speaking to someone about the possibility of “whistling” as a numerary, it is important to explain this essential aspect of the path. It is also good to explain this in the formation people receive during the first years, although perhaps at the time it may seem very distant to that person.

Naturally, the directors will take into account the circumstances of the people and their real capacity to undertake a change. Thank God, in the Work we do not function on the basis of military orders, because within the radical nature of our dedication, we are both a family and militia.

With regard to this radical availability, we can also recall some words of our Father in the third of his “warning bell” letters. They are precious words, even from a literary point of view, and at the same time so expressive that there is no risk of remaining only in what is beautiful about them:

“I give thanks to God for his great goodness, because my daughters and sons have given me so many reasons to be joyful in this now almost half century. I have seen their firm adherence to the faith, their upright Christian life, their complete availability – within the duties of their personal situation in the world – to serve God in the Work. Young persons and those not so young have gone from one place to another with the greatest naturalness, or have persevered faithfully in the same spot without growing tired. When needed they have completely changed their work, leaving behind what they were doing and undertaking a different task of greater apostolic interest. They have learned how to do new things. They have joyfully accepted to hide and disappear, letting others move past them: going up and coming down.

“It is the divine adventure of self-giving, which my children have embraced, well aware of their responsibility before God to bring the Work forward for the good of souls. And our Lord has shown forth his power, pouring out upon your generosity his sanctifying action: conversions, vocations, fidelity to the Church in every corner of the world. Thus blossoms forth the supernatural fruit of an unconditional self-giving. And in the Work, this is asked of everyone: it must always be the ordinary, the natural thing in our family.”^[4]

A paternity without limits

After this first part, to begin to speak about celibacy brings with it a risk: it could give the impression that availability is its most important dimension. Certainly, the celibate person is much more available than one who is married and has children. But their path does not consist only, or even principally, in this aspect. Celibacy is, above all, a gift from God bringing a special identification with Christ. And this is how it should be seen, since everything else stems from it, including availability. The numeraries, and in everything referring to celibacy, also the associates, need to be living witnesses of a self-giving to God in the middle of the world.

Celibacy is not a limitation of our humanity. We only need to look at Christ to be convinced of this. If anyone has incarnated perfect humanity, it is He. And since He is the fullness of what it means to be human, it cannot be said that marriage is an indispensable condition for attaining this fullness. Even though, for those who have a vocation to marriage (generally the majority of people), it is an authentic path of sanctification and fulfillment.

Therefore, in the apostolic work it is not worthwhile to dwell on comparisons. In reality, what is important is what God wants from each person. We cannot fall into the error of making utilitarian evaluations about what is more and what is less. The fundamental question, instead, is the following: what does God want from me? Because what God wants for each of us will be what will make us happy, what will lead us to fulfillment. And furthermore (departing a little from the topic of celibacy) let no one think that marriage is easier than celibacy. Although celibacy initially entails a greater renunciation, obvious and evident, marriage brings with it a sacrifice, a self-giving and difficulties that can be much greater than those of the celibate life. But that is precisely why it is not good to make comparisons: the best will always be what God wants for each one.

For numeraries and associates, celibacy has a dimension of availability. But not a simple factual availability of time, but marked by spiritual paternity; celibacy implies a greater capacity to dedicate oneself to a larger family. In the Work we have an immense family, and the celibate person contributes to creating the family air that is so essential. Living fully the meaning of celibacy according to the spirit of the Work does not entail a decrease in paternity, but an increase. And that is why all the numeraries, whether or not they are on local councils, have the function of taking care of the people of the Work.

It is not surprising that at times temptations may arise in the person’s heart, and not only in the flesh. Every person is tempted at some point, and it is normal. So it would not be logical to raise doubts because one experiences the natural attraction to a woman from time to time. When working in professional environments with women co-workers, one needs to be prudent and guard one’s senses, because the attraction to women does not go away. It is a struggle in a positive sense: it is not a question of living with a closed heart. In a certain sense yes, but at the same time, our heart must be very open to the whole world, with the love of Christ Jesus. We do not renounce a life of love and all that this entails: affections, desires, passion, creativity, self-denial... A celibate person directs all those energies, proper to a person in love, towards God and towards the persons and tasks entrusted to us in the Work.

Perhaps that point from The Way comes to mind: “How is that heart of yours getting along? Don’t worry: the saints – who were perfectly ordinary, normal beings like you and me – also felt those ‘natural’ inclinations. And if they had not felt them, their ‘supernatural’ reaction of keeping their heart – soul and body – for God, instead of giving it to creatures, would have had little merit. That’s why, once the way is seen, I think that the heart’s weaknesses need be no obstacle for a determined soul, for a soul in love.”^[5]

Custody of the heart involves custody of the senses, prudence, perseverance and struggle, but a struggle of love, to grow in friendship with God, through his grace. It requires sincerity with ourselves and in spiritual direction, so that we can be helped; and fostering availability in celibacy. And, above all, that we never lack joy, a very necessary good in order to be faithful. In selfless love for others we will often find a deep happiness, which will lead us to have a heart ever more like Christ’s.

^[1]Instruction on the Work of Saint Gabriel, no. 113.

^[2] Javier Echevarría, Pastoral Letter, November 28, 1995, no. 16.

^[3]Instruction on the Supernatural Spirit of the Work, no. 28.

^[4] St. Josemaría, Letter, February 14, 1974, no. 5.

^[5]The Way, no. 164.